Reflection on Photography Class

In the before times, this class featured a hard-copy journal that we all kept, sketching shoot ideas, taking notes on the speakers, tucking in things we tore out of print sources or had written in other classes, etc. With our all-virtual format, that went by the wayside, but while we won’t be meeting to look over each others’ sketchbook journals, we wanted to still have a moment for looking back over your first semester and taking stock.
The class talked a lot about Influences, and the college experience has traditionally been a big one. Even in 2020, where we’re not all gathering together in the city, you’re probably not exactly the same person you were when you got your acceptance letter or logged in to the first class session.
For our final project, we’re going to look back at how we’ve been influenced by our experience of this semester.
How has your photography changed? What were the biggest new influences in your thinking or methods (not just from this class, but overall - lighting techniques, concepts in photography, other students, new styles of shooting). What has made you think about photography in a new way, inspired your existing style of work, or caused you to reconsider something you were doing before?
Influences are also from outside of class. We talked about spheres of influence at the beginning - our work is influenced not just by our peers or established photographers, but also our lived experience. How have the events of the past six months changed your work? Are you exploring different topics, have you found new ways of making your work to get around the limitations we’re all facing?
In 500 (or more) words, tell us how you think you and your work have changed in 2020.